Interviews

From “In Bloom” : For the Love of the Game by Emily De Lima

by Alys Del Valle

“for the love of the game” by Emily De Lima 

Emily De Lima is a Brazilian-American artist and designer based in Queens, NYC. She creates ethereal, dreamlike scenes and spaces across various mediums, using highly saturated color and drawing from mythologies and cosmologies. Her work explores themes of origin, cultural sensitivity, and systems of knowledge, often examining how stories, traditions, and craft shape the way information is passed through time.

On May 30, at AD Exhibition’s In Bloom, she spoke about her process behind her exhibited painting For the Love of the Game, reflecting on both the struggles and triumphs she experienced throughout its creation.

Q: Can you tell us about the piece you are showcasing tonight?

A: This piece is titled For the Love of the Game. Now that I'm a high school teacher, something I often tell my students when they're struggling with motivation is to imagine that life is a video game.

There are a few ways you can play. You can decide early on that the game is too hard and that you'll never be good enough to beat it. You stop trying as hard as you could, get stuck on the early levels, and never get to experience what comes later. On the other hand, you can become so focused on reaching the end goal as quickly as possible that you forget to enjoy playing. You take shortcuts, chase results, and when you finally get there, you're left wondering why you even bothered.

I think the best way to play any game is somewhere in the middle: work hard, play hard. Enjoy the process while continuing to grow. The goal isn't just to reach the end, but to love the game enough to keep playing.

This painting emerged when I realized I was starting to lose my own love of the game. Up until graduating, so much of my identity was centered around academic achievement. I was always working toward the next milestone, and eventually the degree itself became the goal.  

When I finally graduated, I felt like I had lost a part of myself. I had spent so much time focused on reaching the finish line that I never stopped to enjoy the smaller moments along the way. When I finally achieved the thing I had been working toward for years, I felt strangely unfulfilled and unsure of what came next.

I completely ripped myself apart to understand what truly makes me happy and to find my purpose. Dissolving your old identity like that fucking hurts.

There's a song I love by Brazilian rapper BK called Cacos de Vidro where he says, "nunca vi tanto poder em caco de vidro"—"I have never seen so much potential in shards of glass."

That line stuck with me because once you've completely broken apart and laid all the pieces out in front of you, you have the opportunity to rebuild yourself exactly how you want. The same destruction that leaves you feeling lost can also become the foundation for something new. Like a phoenix, you may burn, but you get to rise from the ashes born anew.

Photo by Nadia Chin

Q: What does In Bloom mean to you personally or artistically?

A: In Bloom is what comes after that. What happens after you've completely pulled yourself apart in an effort to understand yourself?

Now comes the process of putting yourself back together, and I'm pretty happy with the way I've been doing that so far. I'm still committed to chasing my dream of becoming a successful artist, but I've also learned to cherish the moments along the way. I've had so much fun making the work, meeting incredible people through exhibitions, and my life has started to feel like one big adventure.

I've learned a lot of valuable lessons and had to pick myself up more times than I can count to get where I am today. In Bloom is about that process of growth and becoming more fully yourself.

Photos by Nadia Chin

Q: Where do you hope your art journey takes you from here?

A: I'm really looking forward to connecting and collaborating with more like-minded artists who are interested in similar questions surrounding theosophy, philosophy, consciousness, and the places where science and spirituality begin to overlap. 

Some of the most meaningful parts of this journey have come from conversations with people who are equally curious about how the world works, and I'm excited to see where those connections lead next.  

Everything I’ve been through has led me here, and now I just want to keep building, keep learning, and stay in love with the process.

Close-up of “For the Love of the Game” by Emily De Lima

You can see more of Emily De Lima's work on her website emilydelima.com and her instagram @emily.delima. 

Watch the initial video interview at:

Instagram link